Prime Minister refuses federal funding for Great Keppel Island

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones is calling on the Prime Minister to reveal why the Morrison Government is refusing to commit federal funding to Great Keppel Island.

“I’ve been lobbying for Keppel’s fair share of federal funding for months. Scott Morrison has turned his back on the people of Central Queensland – they deserve to know why,” she said.

“Now, right before a federal election the Prime Minister things he can fly in from Sydney for a couple of days and voters will reward him. People are smarter than that.”

Ms Jones said the State Government applied for $25 million through the Commonwealth’s Regional Growth Fund before discovering last month that Queensland’s application had been scrapped.

“We’ve committed $25 million to upgrade public infrastructure on Great Keppel Island. But with matched funding from the Federal Government we could do so much more,” she said.

“This is a project that will create 140 construction jobs and more than 420 jobs once Great Keppel is back up and running.

“Labor’s candidate for Keppel Russell Robertson has been in regular contact with the State Government about lobbying the Commonwealth for more funding for Great Keppel Island.

“But in stark contrast, Michelle Landry wants to snipe from the sidelines. The people of Keppel deserve better.”

ENDS

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